3 Things to Consider When Buying Residential Inverters

With the development of PV technologies and the decrease of PV system costs, more people choose to install PV panels on their roofs to reduce electricity fees and enjoy green energy. As the heart of solar power systems, solar inverters play an important role in the entire system. Here are some tips for selecting inverters.

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    Understand Your Needs

    1. How large is the installed capacity? Generally, 1 kW requires an installation area of 11 m2 for flat roofs and 8 m2 for pitched roofs. Calculate the approximate installed capacity based on the area of the roof and the installation position.
    2. Do you need to install power optimizers? In most cases, for unshaded roofs facing the same direction, you only need to install inverters. For partially shaded roofs, power optimizers need to be installed on the rear of the PV modules in the shaded areas to reduce energy yield loss caused by string mismatch. To save costs, do not install power optimizers in unshaded areas.
    3. Do you need to install batteries? Considering the high price of batteries, many people do not plan to install batteries in the PV system unless the battery price decreases. It should be noted that most inverters in the market do not provide battery ports. To install batteries in the future, you need to purchase a conversion device, which increases the cost and makes the installation more difficult. You are advised to select inverters with battery ports.

    Understand the Key Indicators of Inverters

    1. Number of MPP trackers. For inverters with the same power, the more the MPP trackers, the less the mismatch loss of PV strings and the higher the energy yield. For example, for 5 kW residential inverters, the energy yield of an inverter with two MPP trackers is higher than that with one MPP tracker.
    2. MPPT efficiency. Because the working conditions such as the solar irradiance and temperature of inverters keep changing, the MPPT algorithm has an important impact on the dynamic efficiency of the MPPT. Therefore, you are advised to select inverters from enterprises with extensive experience in algorithms.
    3. IP rating. Inverters, often installed outdoors, are demanding in terms of IP rating. Generally, the inverters with IP65 or above are recommended.
    4. Noise. The noise produced by running inverters seriously affects our life. Inverters with a noise level of 30 dBA or below are the best choice, followed by those with a noise level of 31–50 dBA.
    5. Design. Residential inverters are consumer goods that are installed on the wall of the houses, being a part of our life. Inverters with exquisite design and an appealing appearance bring us better experience. Nobody says no to beautiful things, so why not choose the inverters that have won the Red Dot Award and the iF Design Award?

    Select a Sustainable Inverter Manufacturer

    The design life of the PV power system is 25 years. Inverter manufacturers are required to continuously provide services within 25 years. In fact, many manufacturers fail to do that due to various factors. Therefore, name brands and sustainable enterprises are recommended. The world's top 500 enterprises are the best choice.